Sometimes even the most devout fashion enthusiasts have a love-hate relationship with their clothes. We instantly fall in love with the perfect slip dress and black choker that we see at Zara, only to quickly hate it once we see everyone walking around wearing it. Thus, we are eager to venture back to Zara, to look for something new. We are all victims of this vicious cycle. Fast-fashion stores like Zara, Forever 21 and H&M seem great because they are inexpensive and always on-trend. But, to those of us who truly want to express ourselves with what we wear, we are faced with a serious conundrum: where can we shop for clothes that embody our unique style and not just homogenized trends?
Lucky for us, the answer is not out of reach.
We live in Miami, a place riddled with creative freedom and diverse ideas. And, there’s no better culmination of our city’s abundance of art and lively culture than at Art Basel. The event, which takes place on Dec. 1 to 4, brings celebrities, millionaires and all-around fabulous people from every place imaginable to celebrate art, fashion, food and music.
One of the best parts of Art Basel is that unique stores and designers from all over the world set up pop-up shops in different venues that feature items you normally can’t find anywhere else. Many of these shops are collaborations between two stores that are unexpected, but somehow perfect. Last year, Chrome Hearts and Laudree Macaroons teamed up to create a pop-up shop that resulted in a sugary wonderland for the punk rocker inside all of us.
Here are some expected pop-up shops for this years Art Basel that will bring you wearable art to upgrade your usual style.
Vase Fashion Truck
Vase Fashion Truck is a boutique truck that carries a variety of clothing and accessories. The truck features local jewelers and artisans, high-end designer labels and its own LED light-up sneakers, VASE. Be sure to catch them and the moving trends as they park in different locations throughout Miami Beach during Basel.
Zuvaa Clothing
This popular African-inspired clothing and accessories shop carries clothes in bright colors and prints, perfect for a Miami girl’s wardrobe. Zuvaa Clothing’s modern shapes and structured designs make them statement pieces that you will never find anywhere else.
House of Field
Patricia Fields, famous stylist for “Sex and the City” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” collaborated with eight artists to design a one-of-a-kind collection that merges fashion and art with made-to-order pieces such as colorful bombers and denim jackets.
Miami Flea Market
Basel takes over the original Miami Flea at The Wynwood Yard and displays unique crafts, designer jewelry and custom-made art. These include Zoom Bloomz flower crowns, Bossa and Co.’s handmade accessories and more. It’s like a one-stop shop for all things creative.
Shellie Frai is a sophomore studying Journalism and Economics. Her favorite things coincidently all start in F: Food, Fashion and Frais.
words_shellie frai. photo_allie pakrosnis.